Page 21 of The Spinster's Resolve

G race and the Duke arrived at her bedroom door just in time, slipping inside before the household stirred. She was astonished when he followed her in instead of returning to his own chambers. His expression remained troubled, his gaze steely and unreadable.

Breaking the silence, she ventured, ‘I know it is disappointing that the murder suspect still eludes us, but I think we can rule out Lord Harry. He cannot run.’ She hoped this would ease his mood, but his glare remained unwavering.

Unable to hold back any longer, she snapped, ‘Ever since you rescued the girls, you have been looking at me like a demented gargoyle!’

His expression darkened further, but she pressed on. ‘I would have thought you’d be pleased with our success today. We saved those poor girls! I know Melissa not seeing her kidnapper was a blow, but at least we have another clue. What is the matter with you?’

If his mood had been sour before, it was downright thunderous now. Grace bit her lip, realising she had overstepped. He was not a man accustomed to being spoken to in such a manner—least of all by a country spinster. But the words were said and could not be taken back.

Before she could react, he stepped forward, crowding her space. She instinctively backed away, only to collide with her dressing table. There was nowhere left to go. The only thing she could do was lift her chin in rebellion—another mistake. His hands came down on her shoulders, firm and unyielding, his dark gaze burning with restrained fury.

‘You promised me that you would stay in the carriage,’ he ground out. ‘What if the guards had seen you? What if it wasn’t us coming out of that building? Do you realise what could have happened?’ His voice shook—just slightly—but enough for her to notice. It wasn’t just anger. It was something else. Something deeper.

At last, she understood the source of his temper. But his rough handling only fuelled her own. She shoved him—hard.

All her pent-up frustration, her broken heart, and her disappointments channelled into her small hands.

He stepped back, startled.

‘I am not an idiot!’ she seethed, shoving him again. ‘Neither am I blind!’ Another shove. ‘I saw all of you come out, and I recognised you at once! Besides, I sat in that carriage for half an hour, staring out of the window. I knew full well there was no one else about when I stepped out!’

Sparks of anger flashed in his eyes as he lowered his voice to a dangerous level. ‘You promised me.’

Grace scoffed. ‘For your information, I made no such promise. I merely nodded to indicate that I understood, not that I agreed.’

He dragged a hand through his hair in frustration. ‘Woman, you are driving me mad. You can play with words all you like, but I will not have you putting your life in danger. I forbid it. Do you understand me?’

Red with fury, Grace sputtered. No one had dictated her actions since she was eighteen, and she was not about to start allowing it now. But still... the raw intensity in his eyes unsettled her. He had been truly afraid for her. And for some reason, that made her own anger falter for just a moment.

But her defiant nature reared its head. ‘Who are you to forbid me anything? You have no authority over me. I shall do as I please, and if that means doing dangerous things, then so be it!’

Even to her own ears, she sounded petulant, but she would not back down. Not to this infuriating man.

A slow, predatory smile curved his lips. Grace squirmed.

His hands found her shoulders again, and he leaned in. ‘If I were your husband, I would find a way to fix that,’ he murmured.

Her breath hitched at the smouldering intensity in his eyes. For one heart-stopping moment, she thought he would kiss her. She struggled against him at first, but as his proximity overwhelmed her senses, her knees grew weak.

Instead of claiming her lips, he tilted his head and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Then, without another word, he turned and left the room.

Grace remained frozen, gripping the edge of her dressing table for stability.

Then, doing what any respectable spinster would do, she locked her door.

She paced her chambers until her maid arrived to rekindle the fireplace. Surprised to find Grace already awake, the girl was even more taken aback when Grace asked her to pass on her regrets to the ladies—she would not be joining them for the shopping expedition today. The maid, sympathetic, helped her back into bed.

Grace was exhausted. She needed sleep. Yet, as she lay down, her mind drifted back to him. How dare he handle her so?

And kiss her when he was betrothed to another?

There was nothing for it. After a bit of rest, she would hunt him down and confront him.

GRACE WOKE IN THE AFTERNOON feeling surprisingly refreshed.

Asking the servants where the Duke was, she received an unexpected answer. The Duke had left the residence for the night.

Coward, she thought uncharitably.

Frustrated, she enquired after the rest of the household and found that they were still out shopping. With nothing to do, she accepted a cup of hot chocolate and a light repast from the maid.

‘Sally, do you know if Holden has made the library ready?’

‘Yes, ma’am. Shall I ask him to open it for you?’

A few minutes later, Holden escorted her to the library.

‘Miss Skye, I do hope you like it. The room is not used as often as it should be. The library at Armitage Estate is much grander, but this London residence is none too shabby, if I do say so myself.’

Grace was delighted. She had only seen a small portion of it the day before and had longed to explore further.

‘Thank you, Holden.’

As she entered the room, she was awestruck by its vastness. Shelves upon shelves of books lined the walls. Sofas and armchairs were tucked into inviting nooks, and the sheer number of tomes made her giddy with excitement.

This was paradise.

She selected a book, settled into the cosiest armchair, and soon lost herself in its pages.

An hour later, the library door creaked open.

Assuming it was a servant checking on her, she remained where she was, hidden from view. But then she heard two voices—Lord Gerrard and Lady Jane.

Grace nearly stood to make her presence known, but something stopped her.

The two entered alone. No chaperone.

Frowning, she shifted slightly, peering through the bookshelves. What she saw made her freeze.

Lord Gerrard and Lady Jane were locked in a passionate embrace.

Her breath caught.

‘My love, are you sure no one will come in?’ Lady Jane asked breathlessly. ‘We had a close call yesterday. We cannot be found out.’

‘No, darling,’ Lord Gerrard assured her, pulling her towards a large couch. ‘None of the servants are allowed in here. Old Holden only comes in once a week to clean. The ladies are shopping. Gabriel is out of town for a couple of days. We have this place all to ourselves. No one will disturb us. And remember—we leave for Gretna Green tomorrow night. Once we are wed, no one can separate us.’

Grace blushed furiously. She needed to get out.

Slipping deeper into the library, she rounded a corner, searching for another exit—only to be seized by strong arms and yanked into a dark recess in the wall.

A hand clamped over her mouth, stifling the scream that would have escaped.

The scent was familiar.

Turning her head, she immediately recognised the Duke.

He gestured for her silence. She obeyed.

Then, whispering in her ear, he said, ‘Stay here.’

He stepped out.

A moment later, Lady Jane let out a startled scream.

Grace moved cautiously forward.

‘I see you two are taking the time to get acquainted,’ the Duke drawled.

Lady Jane scrambled to compose herself.

‘Lady Jane, I will speak with you later. Leave us.’

She fled the room, only too happy to scurry out.

Gerrard, white as a sheet, stammered, ‘G-Gabriel—I thought you were gone.’

The Duke folded his arms. ‘I suppose that means you help yourself to my fiancée in my absence?’

Gerrard paled further. ‘Gabriel, I—I never meant to hurt you... but Jane and I, we... we fell in love.’

A muscle in the Duke’s jaw ticked. ‘Did you kill our father and Gareth, Gerrard? Am I next?’

Gerrard blanched. ‘No! I swear!’

The Duke’s eyes darkened, his demand cold. ‘Tell me the truth.’

‘Gabriel, I never meant to hurt you. There was no malice or planning!’

‘Perhaps you did fall in love, but you couldn’t be together because she was affianced to Gareth before me. So you arranged the carriage accident. Maybe you were angry when Father insisted she marry me after Gareth passed. Maybe you wanted to get rid of him. Maybe you had a plan to get rid of me next. You tried to poison me, just as Father was poisoned. Laudanum in all the decanters in my chamber. Did you think I wouldn’t find out? It’s a good thing I don’t drink anymore, but you didn’t know that, did you? Perhaps your true goal was the dukedom—no one standing in your way.’

Lord Gerrard turned deathly pale, his knees giving out as he crumpled to the floor. ‘No... no, Gabriel,’ he stammered, shaking his head wildly. ‘We only grew close after Father passed. It happened gradually. When Gareth died, I wasn’t even here—I was on my tour. I barely made it back in time for the funeral.’

‘Perhaps you returned earlier than you let on.’ The Duke was still sceptical.

‘You can ask anyone—the ship’s captain, the people I stayed with in Greece. I can give you their names,’ Gerrard insisted desperately. ‘When you arrived after the funeral, Father was the one who wanted you and Jane to be engaged. I had barely spoken to her back then! I had no intentions towards her at all. Then you left again to settle your affairs abroad, despite Father's disapproval. If you had stayed—’ He hesitated before continuing, his voice thick with emotion. ‘After Father’s passing, Jane and I spent more time together, and that’s when we fell in love. There was no deceit, no plan. Just love.’

His breath hitched as he admitted, ‘I was a coward. I should have told you, but I was terrified. But I swear, Gabriel, I would never harm you. We were going to run away to Gretna Green. I do not care about the dukedom—I never have! I only want Jane.’ His voice broke as he choked on his words. ‘I cannot believe you think I would have a hand in Gareth’s or Father’s deaths. I would never do that!’

Tears spilled down his face as he sobbed, shoulders shaking with the force of his grief.

The Duke’s expression remained unreadable, but he finally exhaled sharply. He stepped forward, grasping Gerrard’s arm, and pulled him to his feet. He studied his younger brother carefully before asking him where he was on the day Gibbs was killed. ‘Think. It was the week after Father died.’

‘I was here,’ Gerrard answered quickly. ‘I have not left London since Father died. Ask anyone—ask Elizabeth.’

‘Where were Harry and Edward on that day?’

Lord Gerrard thought a moment. ‘I do not recall seeing them. I think they were attending to some business at their country residence.’

The Duke’s gaze did not waver. ‘And the night before Father died? Who was present?’

‘Well, we all were. Elizabeth had arranged card games.’

From her place in the shadows, Grace listened intently. If Gerrard was lying, it would be easy to prove, but she doubted he was. He could not have killed Gibbs. He was no longer a suspect.

The Duke must have reached the same conclusion, as his posture finally relaxed.

‘Gerrard,’ he said, his voice quieter now, ‘if you had only told me that you wished to marry Jane, I would have made it happen.’

Gerrard’s breath hitched. His swollen eyes widened in disbelief.

‘I will speak with Jane,’ the Duke continued, his tone firm yet calm. ‘She will call off our engagement. It is a lady's prerogative to cry off an engagement without suffering scandal. At the ball, we will announce your engagement instead. People will talk, but we will manage it.’

Gerrard stood frozen, unable to process his brother’s words. When they finally registered, he surged forward and embraced the Duke, gripping him tightly as relief and joy overwhelmed him.

For a full minute, he clung to his older brother, unable to speak.

Lord Armitage—ever the stoic—hesitated before finally returning the embrace.

AFTER LORD GERRARD left the library, Grace emerged and saw the Duke. His back was turned towards her, his head slightly bowed, one hand covering his face. She hesitated. He had just learned that his brother had betrayed him and lost his fiancée in the process. This would wound him deeply.

Approaching cautiously, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. ‘I am sorry.’

She wanted to offer comfort but was unsure how. As she stepped around him to peer into his face, she was taken aback. Instead of sorrow, he was smiling.

Grace blinked. Confusion turned to mild concern for Lord Armitage’s mental state. She had heard that extreme trauma could sometimes produce unusual emotions. Choosing her words carefully, she asked, ‘Are you... all right?’

He let out a quiet laugh. ‘I have never been so relieved.’

She frowned. ‘Err... not to seem pessimistic, but I fail to see the bright side of this situation. You have just lost your fiancée—to your brother, no less!’

His amusement only deepened. ‘I have been uneasy for so long, suspecting that Gerrard was responsible for the murders. But now I see I was wrong. He’s innocent.’

‘Innocent?’ she echoed incredulously. ‘I wouldn’t go that far—he has been carrying on with Lady Jane behind your back and was about to run away with her to Gretna Green tomorrow night!’

‘Ah, that is precisely the beauty of it. If Gerrard had intended to kill me, he would have no need to run away. The fact that he planned to elope proves he was not trying to eliminate me. So, yes, I am relieved.’ His eyes gleamed with mirth.

‘As for Lady Jane,’ he continued, ‘I have suspected her disinterest in our engagement from the beginning. We both agreed to it out of duty to our parents, and I could not refuse my father—especially after Gareth’s death. I assumed her reluctance was grief for my brother... I did not realise it was Gerrard she loved.’ His scowl returned, and Grace suspected it was his brother’s betrayal, rather than Jane’s, that truly stung.

‘Holden informed me that you caught Jane in the library last night, and I was immediately suspicious,’ he admitted. ‘I never granted her access. It seems it was being used as a lovers’ retreat.’

Grace considered this. ‘But we saw Lord Gerrard exiting from the study. How could they have been together?’ Then another thought struck her. ‘And how on earth did you enter the library without me noticing? I had no idea you were here.’

He took her hand and led her to the far end of the room, where he pressed against a wall panel. To her amazement, it swung open to reveal a hidden passage leading into the study.

‘This,’ he explained, ‘is how Gerrard appeared to exit from the study. We suspect the killer used this route to access the study and poison my father’s brandy.’

Grace stared in awe. ‘I would never have guessed this was here.’

‘Unfortunately, it does not help us much, as we all used to use this passage as children to play tricks on my father.’

She ran her hands over the mechanism, fascinated. ‘Are there any other hidden doors in the house?’ A sudden, alarming thought made her tense.

He chuckled. ‘No, my sweet, no more hidden doors.’

Grace sighed in relief as he continued, ‘But I believe we have narrowed our suspect list. We ruled out Harry, as you pointed out—he cannot run. Thanks to your love of books, we have discovered Jane and Gerrard’s secret affair, and Gerrard has, at least, exonerated himself from the murders. That leaves only Edward.’ His brow furrowed.

Grace’s stomach twisted. ‘You never mentioned someone tried to poison you !’ She recalled what he had revealed to his brother. ‘Why did you not tell me?’

‘I did not wish to alarm you. Besides, I cannot let it stop me. To end this, I need to find the murderer.’ There was a flicker of pain in his expression.

She pursed her lips. ‘But Heather mentioned something the other night. She heard footsteps outside her room. What if the murderer is searching for where you have moved? You must tread carefully.’

‘I will,’ he reassured her. ‘I have taken precautions to deter any intruders.’ Then, flashing a teasing smile, he added, ‘Although, if these threats bring forth such concern from you, they seem almost worth it.’

It had the desired effect. Flustered, Grace stammered, ‘B-but we need more evidence. We have no proof Lord Edward is the culprit. Perhaps his brother is an accomplice?’

‘It is possible, but I believe only one is the mastermind. Edward is the dominant of the two. Harry has always been sickly, lacking the constitution for such a scheme.’

‘Lord Harry seems distant from his brother,’ she mused. ‘As though he disapproves of something. Perhaps he knows something and it has caused a rift between them. Lord Gerrard did say they do not get along.’

The Duke nodded thoughtfully. ‘If that is the case, we may be able to press Harry for information.’

‘Maybe we can try a different tactic with the pocket watch. I could ask Lord Harry if the family has a preferred watchmaker, using my father’s watch as an excuse,’ she suggested. Then another thought struck her. ‘And what of your father’s property investments? Perhaps your solicitor, Mr Smith, knows something about the coastal properties the late Duke was purchasing. He may recall which of the two Avertons was involved in the dealings.’

Lord Armitage’s brows furrowed in thought. ‘That is a good idea. I will speak with Mr Smith.’ He studied her for a long moment, making her feel self-conscious. She wondered if he, too, was thinking about the kiss.

Grace had meant to confront the Duke about the kiss, but the brute had acted as though nothing had happened! Then again, discovering his brother and fiancée’s betrayal made that conversation... awkward. Perhaps another opportunity would present itself. And perhaps now that he was single again, there was more hope than she dared admit.

Clearing his throat, he said, ‘How do you like the library? I have never seen you look so happy to walk into a room—you were practically glowing .’ His eyes twinkled mischievously.

Grace gasped. ‘You were watching me all that time?!’

He chuckled, ‘You were so engrossed in your book, I did not have the heart to disturb you.’ Then, retrieving a key from his pocket, he placed it into her hand. ‘I want you to have free access to this room whenever you like. I will be changing the lock, and this is a copy. Just be sure to close it before you leave.’

Without waiting for her response, he turned to leave through the hidden door, leaving Grace to stare after him, holding the key to paradise in her hand.